Track deviation. - NASA ASRS

Attributes
ACN	302505
Time
Date	199504
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dln
State Reference	MT
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zlc
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Bonanza 36
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 1700 flight time type : 20
ASRS Report	302505
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Using my autoplt NAVAID (new airplane) in IFR flight dln to cdc, it appeared to be tracking correctly (wasn't) as slc called said I was approximately 5 mi west of course, corrected, then hand flew. Out of provo, ut, center said I wasn't tracking correctly. VOR indicator didn't have an off flag but one was reading differently than the other. Topped VOR case it seemed to work. Center gave me a vector and my VOR then appeared to be tracking. Asked center, they said I was right on course. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter works in the state aviation office of a large, thinly populated state. She was flying a bonanza 36A in her official duties. This was her first trip in this aircraft with an autoplt that could be used to track a VOR radial. This feature was not working properly and the reporter was not properly observing the autoplt. She has heard nothing from the FAA on this. She is now aware of the FAA safety hotline and the advantages of the ASRS.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TRACK DEV.

Narrative: USING MY AUTOPLT NAVAID (NEW AIRPLANE) IN IFR FLT DLN TO CDC, IT APPEARED TO BE TRACKING CORRECTLY (WASN'T) AS SLC CALLED SAID I WAS APPROX 5 MI W OF COURSE, CORRECTED, THEN HAND FLEW. OUT OF PROVO, UT, CTR SAID I WASN'T TRACKING CORRECTLY. VOR INDICATOR DIDN'T HAVE AN OFF FLAG BUT ONE WAS READING DIFFERENTLY THAN THE OTHER. TOPPED VOR CASE IT SEEMED TO WORK. CTR GAVE ME A VECTOR AND MY VOR THEN APPEARED TO BE TRACKING. ASKED CTR, THEY SAID I WAS RIGHT ON COURSE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR WORKS IN THE STATE AVIATION OFFICE OF A LARGE, THINLY POPULATED STATE. SHE WAS FLYING A BONANZA 36A IN HER OFFICIAL DUTIES. THIS WAS HER FIRST TRIP IN THIS ACFT WITH AN AUTOPLT THAT COULD BE USED TO TRACK A VOR RADIAL. THIS FEATURE WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY AND THE RPTR WAS NOT PROPERLY OBSERVING THE AUTOPLT. SHE HAS HEARD NOTHING FROM THE FAA ON THIS. SHE IS NOW AWARE OF THE FAA SAFETY HOTLINE AND THE ADVANTAGES OF THE ASRS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.